


Sode Boshi

by diwata



Series: Somewhere in Time [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22486156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diwata/pseuds/diwata
Summary: The day before Sakura's birthday, she eats an early dinner by herself in her lab’s break room.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: Somewhere in Time [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616926
Comments: 8
Kudos: 59





	Sode Boshi

The day before Sakura turns 22, she eats an early dinner by herself in her lab’s break room. It’s a small room that can barely fit the large, round table in its center, but it overlooks the river; and, when it’s late enough, Sakura can see the stars clearly from her little nook. The only person from her lab left for the day, she plays her music out loud and bobs her head to the beat. Sakura’s bun loosens with the movement, strands of pink hair slipping out of her elastic. She drops her chopsticks clumsily when she hears the door open, shuffling to compose herself.

Sasuke emerges, hanging his bag on one of the door hooks and retrieving his dinner. He glances at Sakura for a millisecond, then looks away. “Where were you today?” Sasuke asks the microwave as he watches his tupperware spin in circles.

Sakura notices the way his fingers twitch slightly as he asks the question. “I was stuck in the lab,” she explains, picking at her half-eaten salmon. “I had to restart an experiment because _someone_...” Sakura stabs the cold fish with a chopstick. “Someone who obviously was _not me_ , forgot to refrigerate the TE buffer. They ruined three days worth of prep, and my samples had zero yield.” She inhales deeply. “Then I decided to stay to study and eat before night class.”

“Naruto and I waited for you.” She hears his accusation underneath the underneath, and rolls her eyes.

“Sasuke-kun, it’s far and I’d have to come back to the Chemistry department anyway,” Sakura protests. He refuses to look at her. 

Sasuke is silent for a moment, filling the room with the sound of Sakura’s indie alternative rock and quiet chewing. “We always meet at the library,” he says, finally. The microwave beeps and he moves towards the table with his meal in hand. 

“You know, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura tries, “if you missed me, you could have texted me. I would have been at the library in a minute.”

“... whatever,” Sasuke says, but his hand shakes, then freezes mid-bite.

She scoots closer to him, teasing; their elbows bump. “You could have called too,” Sakura says cheerfully, “I would have been there even faster.” Pensive, she holds her chin. “Maybe I would have been there in a _second_.”

Sasuke looks at her now, his expression straddling the line between endearment and exasperation. “You’re lucky,” he tells her.

Bemused, she tilts her head to the side. “Lucky?” Sakura asks. He doesn’t answer, but he doesn’t ask her to move, so she stays. 

The day before Sakura turns 22, she eats dinner with Sasuke in her lab’s break room. A woman’s kimono sleeve points gracefully towards the Southern sky, and this act of celebration is enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Man, I can't get enough of this verse. Hopefully you're not sick of it by the time Part II is written. Hope you enjoyed this flash!fic.


End file.
